Brandon Scholz didn't want the state Legislature to ban plastic bags in supermarkets.

So the head of the Wisconsin Grocers Association worked with a Madison utility and an environmental consulting firm to develop a green certification program for grocery stores. That energy savings program could be expanded across the state.

Scholz and Brett Hulsey of Better Environmental Solutions and Wisconsin Power & Light Co. developed the Green Grocer Program, a voluntary certification that rates stores in areas such as recycling of used plastic bags and monitoring energy use to waste reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, and sales of green products.

Grocery stores have prime opportunities for energy savings. Lights and coolers make them big energy users - they consume more energy per square foot than many factories, Hulsey said.

"Grocery stores are energy hogs," Scholz said. "People don't realize it, they don't think about it, but it's a grocery store, so think about all the lighting and freezers and coolers.

"For some grocers, their utility bill could be the third- or fourth-highest line on their monthly expense."

One of the stores in the program, Stinebrink's Piggly Wiggly in Delavan, will receive its Green Grocer certification Wednesday. The store is projected to save $51,801 a year on electricity costs after making a variety of changes during a store remodeling. Changes include fluorescent and LED lighting, controls that adjust the temperature in coolers during hours when the store isn't open, occupancy sensors for lighting, skylights for daylight, and new energy efficient refrigerated cases with LED lights.

Nationally, a 45,000-square-foot supermarket pays about $18,000 a month for energy, he said.

"We can get the most bang for the buck by reducing their energy bills and carbon emissions," Hulsey said. One grocery store uses as much energy as 50 to 100 homes, Hulsey said.

Data supplied by WP&L indicates that the changes at the Stinebrink Piggly Wiggly could save electricity equivalent to that used by more than 95 typical Wisconsin homes.

Mark Stinebrink, the store's owner, said he's still trying to encourage all of his employees to recycle more, but said it's been rewarding to go through the certification process. The process led him to take some extra measures, like installing a bicycle rack in front of the store and using Earth-friendly paints during the remodeling and extra doors on the store's freezers.

Once he's completely done with all the projects, he's considering green upgrades for his Piggly Wiggly in Lake Geneva.

Scholz said the prospect of climate change legislation at the national level makes it imperative for his members to take steps to become more energy efficient. Those that are leading the pack today will be ahead of the competition when energy prices rise, he said.

WP&L participated as an adviser in the program and also helped finance energy-efficiency upgrades at stores through its Shared Savings program, said Tracy La Haise, product manager for Shared Savings at the Madison-based utility.

Grocery stores have such a thin profit margin - less than 1%, according to Scholz - that financing upfront costs to get more efficient isn't always an option. The Shared Savings program from WP&L helped overcome those upfront costs.

The grocers association is exploring the possibility of state or federal grants or loans to help more grocery stores make such moves.